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Olivia Graf

Olivia Graf

Partner/Design PrincipalArchitecture for Education (A4E)

Olivia Graf is a Partner and Design Principal at A4E, a mid-sized, women-owned and operated design firm that specializes in education architecture. Olivia has served as Chair for the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA-CAE). She was featured as a 40 Under 40 “AEC star,” by Building Design+Construction (BD+C); and is a frequent speaker at education-focused conferences, including A4LE’s LearningScapes, the CA STEAM Symposium, EDspaces, AIA Women’s Conference and AIA-CAE

Wed Oct 282:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Designing Student-Centered FF&E Packages: Aligning Performance, Pedagogy, and Procurement

FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities,…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities, integrating furniture specification alongside space design and finish selection. Emphasizing the critical role of stakeholder input and feedback, participants will explore a framework aligning learni…FF&E is often treated as a late-stage budget decision, yet it fundamentally shapes how students learn. This session reframes FF&E selection as a cohesive, pedagogically driven process that bridges educational vision and procurement realities, integrating furniture specification alongside space design and finish selection. Emphasizing the critical role of stakeholder input and feedback, participants will explore a framework aligning learning goals, space types, and furniture while navigating procurement constraints to deliver intentional, high-impact solutions.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More

EDsession (60 minutes in classrooms)Session TypeTRACK 3: From Vision to Reality — Planning, funding, delivery, operations, and safetySession Track
Enrico Giori
Olivia Graf
Nick Adams-Wright
Enrico Giori
Enrico GioriProject Designer, Architecture for Education (A4E)
Olivia Graf
Olivia GrafPartner/Design Principal, Architecture for Education (A4E)
Nick Adams-Wright
Nick Adams-WrightDirector of Facilities, Flintridge Preparatory School
Enrico Giori
Enrico GioriProject Designer, Architecture for Education (A4E)
Olivia Graf
Olivia GrafPartner/Design Principal, Architecture for Education (A4E)
Nick Adams-Wright
Nick Adams-WrightDirector of Facilities, Flintridge Preparatory School
Tags:Group C
Allow Registration:No
Capacity Unlimited:No
Indicate how the topic is applicable to Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Design credits.:N/A
Learner Engagement:This interactive session engages adult learners through frameworks, hands-on exercises, and real-world examples. Participants explore the pedagogical impact of FF&E and the common gap between design intent and procurement reality. Using a step-by-step framework, they work in small groups to navigate a mock project scenario, balancing learning goals, spatial typologies, and procurement constraints. Attendees are encouraged to collaborate with a diverse range of allied professionals, gaining multiple perspectives on FF&E planning. Case studies, group discussion, and Q&A reinforce lessons and strategies, equipping participants with practical tools, templates, and approaches to align stakeholders, maintain design intent, and create flexible, inclusive learning environments that support both educational goals and operational realities.
Learning Objective 1:Translate educational vision and pedagogical goals into actionable FF&E selection criteria that support learning outcomes.